Nearly a million residents of Panama and San Miguelito found themselves without water on Monday, January 3, and the situation is not likely to change until late Tuesday as problems continue at the Chilibre water treatment center.

The National water authority (IDAAN) called a a press conference Monday, to report that operations at the new plant had been suspended and that the city would continue to be without drinking water until the technical problems are resolved.

IDAAN Director, Manuel González Ruiz, said that there were flaws in the "dispensers",
The dispensers, key instruments for the production of water, were damaged because of  wear and tear due to the high turbidity of the water in  Lake Alajuela. The turbidity has continued since December 8 after record rainfalls.
González Ruiz, said that technicians were able to restore production at the new Chilibre plant facilities, and estimated that potable water could begin to be supplied again before midnight on Monday, but stabilization could take between 12 to 16 hours.
Technicians at the old Chilibre plant are still working on the problem, and officials estimated that it could be up and running again sometime today, Tuesday.